1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

Use of drone squadrons as a test bench for segmented-architecture

satellite missions

Esteban Carranza, Bruno Marengo, Ricardo Medel

1March 7-10, 2017 Buenos Aires, Argentina

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

Distributed Systems with Segmented Architecture

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

SA attacks uncertainties●Technical Uncertainties: Failure of a component is

not a failure of the mission 

●Environmental Uncertainties: More robust to object impacts or radiation levels

●Uncertainties of launch: Failures only affect to part of the mission.  

●Demand uncertainties: Capabilities can adapt to demand.

●Requirements uncertainties: The mission can adapt to change in requirements.

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

SA advantages●Force multiplication: multiple modules

expand the area covered, increasing the science return of the mission.

●Simultaneous presence: some tasks require simultaneous presence and thus are impossible for any single spacecraft.

●System redundancy: if modules share capabilities, others can replace the role of a failed one.

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

The problem

●To develop, experiment with, and validate a Segmented Architecture-based system is expensive

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

The proposal

●To create a tailored Control Center for UAV squadrons and use it as a tool for experimentation and validation Segmented Architecture-based satellite missions.

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

Work Plan1. Develop a Control Center for UAV

Squadrons, with mission planning capabilities

2. Add to UAVs a Comm & Data Handling module to manage Temporary Scheduled Commands & Stored Telemetry

3. Add the concept of multiple stations

4. Add inter-UAV communications

5. Experiment!

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

Known Limitations

● Payload configuration

● Power (UAV battery vs Sat power supply)

● Flight mechanics

● Duration of the mission

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

Conclusions

● Segmented Architecture satellite missions will be very important in the near future

● We propose a Multiple-UAV Control Center as test-bed for SA satellite missions

● A project to develop a m-UAV Ctrl Center is already underway

1st IAA LA Symp on Small Sat

Thanks!

www.ascentio.com.ar